Numerous types of fastening devices have been devised in the past for fastening lines to objects, such as mooring posts or the like. For example, watercraft are typically secured to a dock or the like by means of ropes or lines which are tied between cleats or eyes on the watercraft, and mooring posts, cleats or columns on the dock. This normally necessitates forming at least one or more knots in at least one end of the mooring line. The use of knots in this context are sometimes undesirable for a number of reasons including the fact that it takes additional time to tie a proper knot, some lay persons are not sufficiently skilled to tie a proper knot, and the knots are sometimes difficult to untie.
In an effort to eliminate the need for tying and untying knots, and to provide a more easily manageable mooring technique, several devices have been proposed in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,712 discloses a line tying device for forming and holding an eye in a line without the use of a knot, however this device is somewhat complicated and cumbersome in the manner in which the line must be threaded through the device to form the loop, and the manner in which the line is secured to the device.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,603 discloses a boat mooring device which, although simple in construction, also requires threading the line through multiple apertures in the device, and moreover, the means by which the line is secured to the device is less than completely satisfactory.
Most of the prior art devices mentioned above do not readily lend themselves to quick release of the loop for the reason that they are difficult for a user to grasp and pull, especially when wet. Thus, there is a need in the art for a line fastening device of the type which forms a slip loop to be fastened around an object, which is easily manufactured, easy to attach to a line or rope and is easily manipulated to tighten or loosen the loop from the object. The present invention satisfies these needs and essentially obviates each of the disadvantages of the prior art devices discussed above.